2016 Volume 42 Issue 3 Pages 202-208
We report the case of a 35-year-old pregnant woman treated with the calcium channel blocker, nifedipine, for maintenance tocolysis. She was hospitalized due to preterm labor at 21 weeks of gestation by her previous physician. A rash appeared following ritodrine hydrochloride administration for maintenance tocolysis. After changing to magnesium sulfate, a rash appeared again. As these rashes were suspected to have been induced by ritodrine hydrochloride and magnesium sulfate independently, consecutive treatment with these drugs was difficult. Therefore, she was transferred to our hospital for follow-up. At 28 weeks 6 days of gestation, treatment with nifedipine for maintenance tocolysis was started after receiving written informed consent, and the medication was approved by the institutional review board of our hospital. The attending pharmacist considered fetal/neonatal adverse effects of nifedipine, such as teratogenicity, fetotoxicity, and neonatal complications, as well as maternal side effects, such as headache, constipation, and excessive blood pressure drop. The pharmacist provided drug information about nifedipine to the attending physicians and nurses, and gave medication counseling to the patient. Following oral administration of 80 mg of nifedipine daily (20 mg every 6 hours), headache and constipation were evident but gradually improved. Neither excessive blood pressure drop nor exacerbated uterine contraction was observed throughout the period of nifedipine treatment. This medication was finished at 34 weeks 5 days of gestation and the patient was discharged at 36 weeks 2 days of gestation. She delivered a baby at 40 weeks 3 days of gestation.
